ThiS week At st. peTer’s | 7-9-23

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138

      Church Office: 215-424-5122   Fax: 215-424-7841

e-mail address: stpetersinfo@yahoo.com

               Revs. Gwendolyn Johnson-Bond & Neil A. Bond, Co-Pastors

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PENTECOST 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         07-09-2023

God knows how we Christians have tried, and miserably failed, to live up to the high standards of the Christian faith, bringing deep disappointment even to ourselves. When we finally stop trying to ignore, excuse, or defeat our sin all by ourselves… when we are sick of our sin enough to the point of despair… then we can look for some real relief. There is one – the only One – who not only knows what is wrong, but who can transform our wrong into right. Jesus Christ invites you: “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens.” Let Jesus Christ make it right in you! He knows your inner conflict. He knows your burdens, addictions, failures, phobias, weaknesses, and selfish desires. Do you know the rest he gives, the mercy, the forgiveness, the healing, the peace?

TODAY

9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up.

10:00AM       + PENTECOST SEASON WORSHIP + (in person and online)

11:20AM All Saints Choir rehearsal.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH. Today Bernadette Hassan and Danaeh Wade, both previously baptized, affirm their Christian faith and officially join our St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church family. Let us welcome and embrace our sisters in Christ! We invite each of you to share in our new life together, which is being shaped by the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and now risen among us.

SHARE HIS LIGHT.   🕆   BEAR HIS WORD.   🕆   DARE HIS WILL.

ThiS week At st. peTer’s

Monday,7:00PM CHURCH COUNCIL meeting (in person).

Wednesday, 10:00AM Diane Hughes (volunteer office administration).

Wednesday, 10:30AM Senior Ministry “Games and Social Activity” in Rhoda Hall

Thursday, 7:30PM                    AL-ANON PROGRAM. Find encouragement to end your own codependence!

Saturday, 1:00PM YOUTH MINISTRY KICK-OFF RALLY.  An afternoon of fun!         (Youth, wear comfortable clothes that would enable you to play some games. Invite a friend! Food will be provided. Let’s move forward away from the dreary times of COVID social distancing!)

Covenant House. Thank you, members and friends, for giving over $500 through our Mission Offering for the first two quarters of 2023! Thank you, members and friends, for making contributions toward Carol Lee’s “Thrivent Action Project” of individual personal care packets for 20 female residents. And thank you, Women’s Ministry, for assembling the packets together yesterday. Covenant House of Philadelphia provides shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and other services to homeless and runaway youth in and around our city to help them get off the streets, into a job, and transitioned into independent living. In 2022, Covenant House reached out to 910 young people through its core programs and services.

What’s Happening…

July 16…  PENTECOST 7.  Hybrid Worship at 10:00AM (in person and online).

July 29… YOUTH MINISTRY “GET FIT + BE LIT!”, noon – 2:00PM.

August 6…  BEAR CREEK CAMP Session 8 begins. (Registration deadline is July 22! Don’t wait!)

August 25…  YOUTH MINISTRY MOVIE NIGHT at 7:00PM.

“Trudi’s Challenge”

During our 92nd ANNUAL MEETING OF ST. PETER’S (February 26), Trudi Wright suggested that 70 people giving an extra $143.00 in regular giving during calendar year 2023 would add about $10,000 to our Budget Income, taking care of our anticipated $7,322 deficit and creating a small surplus for 2023. Pastors Gwen and Neil liked that idea. If you would like to join in that quest, please designate such extra giving as “Trudi’s Challenge”. But it will blend with other general giving toward our 2023 Budget needs. Received last Sunday: $12.00. Total since February 26: $1,714.00. Lord, let me steadily walk your path. Help me to give witness to your love through generous giving!

Worship attendance in 2023.

Last Sunday we were blessed with 48 persons gathering in the Sanctuary for worship, and another 20 households worshipping online (Zoom and Facebook live). Recently there has been a small increase of “in person” participants. We are grateful that more who are not located so far away or faced with compromising health issues have been able and willing to travel to gather with brothers and sisters in this place! And we continue to be grateful for the financial contributions and that expertise during COVID times that now enable persons who are far away or not as healthy to worship with us each week.